Chain construction



J. E. McBRIDE. CH AIN cousmucnou. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.29, I9l7.

Patented June 7, 1921.

UNITED STATES JESSE E. MCBRIDE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN,"A$SIGNOR TO PALMER-BEE COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

CHAIN CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June *F, 1921.

Application filed September 29, 1917. Serial No. 194,063.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, JEssn E. lWIoBnron, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Chain Construction, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to chain construction and refers more particularly to a new and improved construction and arrangement of attachment link for use in platform con veyers or the like.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a link which will permit of the use of ordinary channel iron for the cross pieces in platform conveyers. The invention also resides in the novel construction of the link; in the provision of an integral guide or retaining lug on the link; in the novel arrangement of the link; and in such other features of construction and arrangements and combinations of parts as will more fully hereinafter appear.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of a link embodying my invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are opposite side elevations of the link shown in Fig. 1; V

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary end elevational View showing the link in use;

Fig. 5 is an end elevational view, partly in section, through a conveyer apparatus to which my invention is applied.

Describing in detail the construction shown in the drawings, A designates the attachment link of a platform conveyer B. The conveyer is mounted to run on tracks C and D which, as shown, are angle bars mounted in a suitable frame E and with their vertical flanges extending downward so as to leave the sides of the top flanges unobstructed. The platform for the con veyer is formed by cross-bars F which are preferably of channel cross-section, the webs thereof constituting the supporting platform and their parallel sides extending downward.

To produce a substantially continuous platform it is desirable that the bars F- should be in close proximity to each other.

Inasmuch, however, as the conveyer must pass around the sprockets, it is necessary to avolcl mterference between the bars F when the links are in angular relation to each other. This I have provided for by a construction of link as follows:

As shown in detail in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the link A comprises a pair of pivot portions H and H at opposite ends of the side members J and J. These side members project on one side of the axes of said pivot portions a greater distance than upon the opposite side, as indicated at K and K, and the flange or bracket member G projects laterally from the extension K. L is a strengthening web or brace member for supporting thebracket G and this web is provided with a projecting portion M which extends beyond the edges of the sides J and J and is notched or cut away as indicated at M.

In assembling the conveyer the channel bars F aremounted upon the brackets G and the eccentricity or lateral extension of the sides K and K is such that the lower edges L of the channel bars will not extend below the plane of the pivot axes. Thus the links may be turned at any angle in relation to each other without causing interference between'the channel bars. The tracks C are spaced so that their inner edges will clear the ends of the channel bars F and the downwardly projecting portions M of the web L, which are alined with the ends of the channel bars, form stops or retainers for limiting the lateral movement of the con veyer on the tracks. When the conveyer is reversed in returning it will ride up on the lateral projections K and K of the links, while the ends of the web portions of the cross-bars F will constitute stops or retainers for limiting lateral displacement on the tracks.

With the construction as described there is nothing on either the conveyer or the supporting tracksv therefor to obstruct the projection of the work beyond the sides of the conveyer and at the same time the conuse of the channel bars for the supporting platform greatly contributes to the strength thereof and by reason of the lateral projections of the sides of the links the depend- V 100 veyer is properly guided on its tracks; The

' attachment link comprising a side, a laterally extending attachment flange projecting from one edge of said side, and a brace for said attachment flange, said brace having a portion extending beyond the edge of said side opposite to that from which said attachment flange projects.

2. In a conveyer chain construction, an

attachment link comprising a side, a lat-v erally extending attachment flange projecting from one edge thereof andextending substantially the entirelength thereof, and a brace for said attachment flange extending transversely of and substantially centrally of said attachment flange and side, and having a portion projecting beyond the edge of said side opposite to that from Whichsaid attachment flange projects. I

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JESSE E. MoBRIDE. 

